Divorced Dad Weekend

I have a new found respect for divorced dads who run around with their kids to amusements all weekend. Anna was sick this weekend and rather than canceling the planned fun, I kept up the schedule. On Saturday morning, we drove up to the only Dunkin Donuts in Houston where Anders scarfed down a whole glazed donut. He sat on a chair without a booster seat across the table from me. Then we drove down to Galveston where we waded in the water, walked out to meet the waves, and wrote letters in the sand. Anders fell asleep before we were off the island and slept all the way home.

A quick aside, I've mentioned the native Iowan, Tim Heller, who does the weather on ABC 13. Well, he is obsessed with Galveston, which I also quite like. This had led Anna to many comments about weather-obsessed, land-locked Iowans who can't get enough of Galveston.

Yesterday, I took Anders to the zoo where we met Alan and his parents. Unfortunately for the Bayou City, the mosquitoes hatched late last week. I have spent many summer nights in Minnesota, four years of church summer camp. and summer evenings in Lindsborg, but I cannot remember being attacked by such a swarm of mosquitoes. Theses suckers bit through my shirt! It was maddening. But how did Anders react? By laughing, "Skitoes, funny. Skitoes! Skitoes!" He was laughing himself red in the face as the mosquitoes swarmed around and bit him.

I wondered why the new minor league baseball team we are getting in town next spring will be called the Sugar Land Skeeters, now I know. I would almost be willing to pay for a luxury box to see former Twin Gary Gaetti and putative Skeeters manager slap at Mosquitoes for 9 innings. If you've never seen GG, he looks more like a plumber than a former professional athlete.

We didn't see too much as Zoo Boo, but Anders did enjoy the kids in Halloween costumes, the funny pumpkins, and riding in the wagon with Alan.

I hope Anna feels better soon and I hope this cool down at the end of the week kills some of these pests. While back they they are girding for winter, it was 91, humid, and mosquito-ful today aka July 4th in the Upper Midwest.

Anders asked us to be careful as he went to bed tonight. He is his mother's son. Conversely, we went to HEB to pick out a pumpkin tonight, and when I get separated from Ann and Anders I don't look for them, instead I listen for Anders. He talks, songs, chirps, and announces his way through any and all public venues.

He also noticed Anna's eye color. He looked up and told her, "Mommy, blue eyes." Later, he did the same for me. It wasn't until a few years ago that Anna told me my eye color. It was never something I even thought about.

Breaking news, it sounds like Mizzou will stay in the Big 12 for now. I was really rooting for Houston to get an invite so I could see KU Basketball games in town, but UH is headed to the Big East.

More breaking news, if MN Steve still reads this, the McRib is back.

I can't decide if I'm rooting for St. Louis or Texas in the World Series. I can't stand LaRussa and Pujols, but I love that they have a player named Jon Jay. Perhaps we will negotiate a treaty that effectively gives the World Series to the Rangers (some history humor). Conversely, I'm sick of seeing the awkward high fives between Nolan Ryan and W, but I like Ron Washington. I guess I hope it goes 7 games since I like having sports on TV in the evenings and I'll see what happens then.